Drapery suspension device



Aug. 15, 1961 L. s. ROBERTS 2,996,117

DRAPERY SUSPENSION DEVICE Filed June 8, 1959 INVENTOR Lewis S. Roberts TTORNEY United States Patent 2,996,117 DRAPERY SUSPENSION DEVICE Lewis S. Roberts, 2010 S. Hibiscus Drive,

North Miami, Fla. Filed June 8, 1959, Ser. No. 818,631 1 Claim. (Cl. 160-348) This invention relates to a drapery suspension device and more particularly to an improved structure for incorporation in draperies, curtains and the like, resulting in a securer interengagement between such drape and a hook generally employed for suspension of a drape as well as insuring positive accuracy in alignment of drapery when so suspended.

Drapery are usually suspended by the employment of a plurality of hooks which have a portion for insertion into the fabric of the drapery and an opposite portion for engagement with eyes on a traverse or stationary rod which in turn is mounted on the wall or ceiling. In suspending the drapery, then, each hook is inserted into the drapery fabric and engaged with the eyes mounted on the rod. Invariably, first attempts at alignment of the bottom edge of the drapery are usually unsatisfactory and it thus becomes necessary for various of the hooks to be removed, reinserted higher or lower than initially and then reengaged with the aforementioned eyes. Additionally, when drapery of varying weight and massiveness are used, hooks of varying sizes proportional to the weight and dimensions of such drapery are necessary.

Although attempts have been made to eliminate the trial and error method of proper alignment of draperies by the use of various devices, as well as the use of only one size of hook, the drape continues to present a limp and wilted appearance even prior to washing or cleaning, because of the uncontrolled movement and lack of rigidity at points of interengagement of the hook with the fabric.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to remedy the described situation by providing a means for correct positioning of a plurality of hooks before the drapery is hung. To achieve this object a strip of suitable material having a shank portion for attachment to the drapery and a semi-tubular sleeve portion, the crosssection of which is substantially U-shaped, is provided with a plurality of spaced hook accommodating apertures therein, for permanent attachment to the drapery. For example, in draperies having pinch pleats therein, which are formed by gathering several tucks of drapery fabric, in sewing along the base of the tucks, the novel structure may be incorporated directly into the pinch pleat. By reason of the presence of a plurality of hook accommodating apertures, it is a simple matter to introduce a drapery hook into each such device at a corresponding level such that the drapery when hung, will hang straight. If, however, it becomes necessary to raise or lower the position of the hook, this may be done simply without deleterious effect to the fabric of the drapery.

Another object of the present invention is to make easier the physical act of inserting the drapery hooks into drapery engaging relationship, and this is accomplished by regulating the diameter of the semi-tubular portion of the device to permit easy insertion of a drapery hook therein.

Still another object herein is to provide a device to facilitate hanging of draperies and the like of such rigidity so that a single size of hook may be employed regardless of the size or weight of a drapery and which may maintain its shape under the stress exerted upon it by the drapery through the drapery hook, and which is not so refractory that a sewing needle may not pass therethrough with ease. By employing such material the task of making the draperies incorporating this invention is made 2,996,117 Patented Aug. 15, 1961 simple and will not add materially to the cost involved in making an ordinary drapery not benefiting from the utilization of my invention, since my improvement may be sewn into the drapery at the time of the fabrication thereof. As suitable materials from which devices according to my invention may be fabricated, I have found that plastics such as Teflon or the like may be used.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device which, when receiving a hook, will maintain a substantial degree of rigidity and remain in a relatively stationary position, substantially parallel with the drape to which it is engaged. By providing a serif along one arm of the semi-tubular portion of the device, a hook may be maintained in a relatively fixed position after insertion within the hook accommodating apertures, so that drapery will maintain a natural drape, rather than a wilted appearance.

How these and other objects are to be implemented will become clear through a consideration of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear view of a drapery having pinch pleats into which novel devices according to this invention have been incorporated;

FIG. 2 is a section at 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of one side of the device according to this invention;

FIG. 4 is a view of the opposite side of said device;

FIG. 5 illustrates the position of a hook being inserted into a hook-accommodating aperture; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a hook being positioned within the semi-tubular portion of the device according to this invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the embodiment of this invention is illustrated in a drapery, and comprises a drapery suspension device 10, a plurality of which are shown but to which only one will be referred to in describing the invention, incorporated in tucks 11, of drapery fabric 12.

In FIG. 2, a section at line 2-2 of FIG 1, there is shown the cross-sectional view of such device 10 which generally assumes a U shape, One of the arms of such U having thereon a serif 21 and the opposite arm of such U being sans-serif 22. Perpendicularly projecting from the sans-serif arm 22 thereof, is a shank portion 23 which may be incorporated in a drape by inserting said shank 23 within a tuck 1-1 of a drape 12 and a line of stitching 24 passed therethrough.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plan view of each side of the device 10 is shown. Such device, 10, having a generally semi-tubular sleeve portion 31 has a series of apertures 32 occurring at regularly spaced intervals, and serve to receive a conventional hook 33.

When it is desired to use the drapery suspension device, 10, in drapery formed with a pinch pleat, a plurality of tucks 11 are gathered in the fabric 12, and a line of stitching 25 is passed along the base of each tuck 11 in the manner shown in FIG. 2. The drapery suspension device 10 is then conveniently incorporated into pleat 11 by insertion of the shank portion 23 thereof in one tuck and a line of stitching 24 is passed through said shank 23 at the same time that the line of stitching 24 is passed through the base of the tuck 11.

After such incorporation into the drapery, a conventional hook 33 generally having an upwardly projecting portion 34 may then be interengaged into a selected aperture 32. After horizontally passing through said aperture as seen in FIG. 5, the hook 33 is alfxed in a parallel position to the device 10, its upwardly projecting portion 34 clipping over the serifed portion 21 of the device 10 and secured within said semi-tubular portion 31 of said device as seen in FIG. 6.

The drapery hook 33 also has a downwardly directed portion 35 for engagement with an eye mounted upon a traverse or stationary rod in a manner whose cornmonness makes illustration unnecessary.

Because of the uniform structure of the device 10, throughout its extent, it is apparent that it may conveniently be made in continuous lengths and then cut into such shorter lengths as may be desirable in use.

A preferred material for fabricating such device is nylon, plastic, or other material having sufficient rigidity to enable adequate support of the heaviest fabric and yet being able to have a needle pass therethrough.

While I have described a specific embodiment of my invention it is apparent that changes, and modifications may be made therein and as so changed, and modified, the resulting structure would still fall within the ambit of this invention.

I claim:

A drapery suspension device made of a semi-rigid material comprising a substantially semi-tubular sleeve portion which is U-shaped in cross section, a shank portion projecting substantially perpendicular from one arm of said U-shaped semi-tubular sleeve portion medially therefrom; said shank portion being adapted to be inserted within the tucked folds of a drapery and able to receive a sewing needle therethrough; a opposite arm of said U- shaped semi-tubular sleeve having an outwardly extending lip portion at the top thereof substantially perpendicular thereto; said U-shaped semi-tubular sleeve portion having a pluraity of spaced apertures through any of which a portion of a drapery hook may be introduced into said U-shaped semi-tubular sleeve portion and be securely retained against any lateral movement by said lip portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,115,593 Strube Apr. 26, 1938 

